Blandwood Mansion

Introduction

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This local history museum is located in a historic mansion and features artifacts and furniture from the antebellum era. Charles Bland originally constructed Blandwood Mansion in 1795. The residence was home to North Carolina Governor John Motley Morehead. During the Civil War, the mansion served as a headquarters for both Confederate and Union Generals. The mansion's place in history was sealed on March 2, 1865, when rebel Governor Zebulon B. Vance surrendered to Union Generals Jon Schofield and Jacob Dolson Cox in the main parlor.

Images

The mansion was originally built in 1795. Additions were made to the structure by A.J. Davis turning it into a Italianate wonder in 1844.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Blandwood Mansion was originally constructed in 1795 by Charles Bland.₁ The residence then became home to North Carolina Governor John Motley Morehead. This farmhouse was transformed into an Italianate wonder in 1844 when A.J. Davis designed an addition.

The house served as quarters for Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard during the Civil War. After the Confederacy fell, the house was temporarily used as headquarters for Union Generals Jacob Dolson Cox and John Schofield. On May 2, 1865, North Carolina Governor Zebulon B. Vance surrendered to Cox and Schofield in the Blandwood Mansion’s main parlor.₂

The Blandwood Mansion was named a National Historic Landmark in 1988. Today it operates as a museum. While visiting the mansion, visitors can see 19th century art, architecture, furnishings, and landscapes.₃

Sources

1) "Blandwood." Preservation Greensboro Incorporated Blandwood National Historic Landmark. Web. 7 July 2015. . 2) "Blandwood Mansion." Visit NC. Web. 7 July 2015. . 3) "Blandwood." Preservation Greensboro Incorporated Blandwood National Historic Landmark. Web. 7 July 2015. .